Visitation Lenten Reflections 2024

  Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a       Matthew 21:33-43, 45-46 As a life-long Catholic still early in my journey of scripture interpretation, I must say I was relieved to be assigned the well-known story of Joseph. Coming off of my first trip to the J KC last Summer for the production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (this is my subtle plug to check out the lovely White Theater) I felt a few steps ahead of the task. In many ways, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice did a clever job of telling Joseph’s story. An inspiring one of a young man who caught a good tailwind in life and made it big by harnessing his talents. The narrator says, “But all that I say can be told another way, in the story of a boy whose dream came true, and he could be you”–as though the story was really about our ability to make our dreams come true, just like Joe. Joseph goes on to say “Anyone from anywhere can make it if they get a lucky break!” As entertained as...

Jeremiah 17:5-10     Luke 16:19-31 When I reflect on today’s readings, it reminds me of a time when I was agonizing over a difficult decision. I spent hours analyzing and overthinking the pros and cons of each alternative. I finally turned to my mother-in-law for guidance. She listened patiently as I laid out every last detail of my thought process. When I was finished, there was a long pause and she asked me “have you prayed about it?” At the time, I was so taken aback by her question...pray about it? Why would I pray about it? I made this pro and con list and talked myself in circles about it! That's when a lightbulb went off. I was trying to control my life in a methodical manner and it wasn’t serving me. I didn’t have the clarity I needed because I was only relying on myself. There was no trust or faith in God, and his divine plan. Now, as a wife and mother of two young children, it feels as though there is even more beyond my control. I can relate to the w...

  Jeremiah 18:18-20     Matthew 20:17-28 In the sacred time of Lent, today’s readings weave together a common theme of surrender and trust in the divine plan. This Lent invites us to reflect on our role as co-creators with God, acknowledging His sovereign craftsmanship in our lives, and reminding ourselves He has a purpose for us. In Jeremiah, we witness the prophet’s plea for deliverance amidst opposition. As a mother, I am often reminded that we, too, face the challenges of nurturing our children in a world which at times resists the values we hold dear. Yet, we must trust God is shaping not only our own hearts but also those of our little ones. Today’s Psalm resonates with the heartfelt cry of a soul seeking refuge in the Almighty. In the midst of the chaos and demands of modern life, we can find solace in surrendering ourselves and our children to God's unfailing and enduring love. He alone is our rock and our fortress, providing strength and courage w...

Isaiah 1:10, 16-20      Matthew 23:1-12 The readings today left me with a sense of deep gratitude, for the ongoing journey of feeling God’s invitation to humility and grace. I am a recovering perfectionist. I empathize with the Pharisees that perhaps are behaving in a way that they feel is best. They “perform to be seen” because they are leaders. They don’t “lift a finger” because perhaps they believe it’s honorable for their subjects to earn their spiritual success. There’s certainly a lot to unpack there, especially as a parent. I’ve grown and learned enough that perfection is not a connecting force, it breeds resentment, it’s divisive, in oneself and with others. It creates judgment, shame, and loneliness. While I aspire to lead my children with my husband, I also can create a power struggle when I assume that I know everything, and then refuse to validate my children’s experience. Jesus is teaching us that all of us lose in a power struggle. “Do not be...

Daniel 9:4b-10     Luke 6:36-38 As I write this meditation at the end of 2023, I am overwhelmed by prompts for self-reflection. Sparked by my social media feed, fueled by my peers and exacerbated by the pressure I put on myself, this time of transition feels like a constant barrage of forced humility. "You could be doing better... as a mother, as a professional, as a Catholic, as a human."  Maybe it's the after-lunch slump, maybe it's holiday burnout; but today, I do not want to be reminded that "we have sinned, been wicked, and done evil." I don't want to face the fact that I am constantly judging, slow to forgive, or possibly giving less than I am able. It is hard to understand that as an individual—no matter how hard I try—I am weak, flawed, and imperfect. Looking towards a new, shiny year is far more enticing than taking responsibility for my 2023 sins. But reflection is necessary. Surely, I will re-read this passage again in a couple months, and...

  Genesis22:1-2,9a,10-13,15-18     Romans8:31-34     Mark 9:2-10 Today’s readings intertwine the messages of tested faith and the affirmation of God’s promise to us, fulfilled in Jesus.   It is hard not to see the patterns of life repeat themselves: fashion, the coming and going of seasons, life’s milestones, financial markets, etc. We experience the cyclical peaks and troughs of life over and over. There are periods of expansion and contraction leading us through happy and challenging days. With our joy and suffering, our faith simultaneously meanders through strength and weakness. I hear this pattern in today’s readings. I have three young children (Jack 5, Caroline 4 and Kennedy 2). I see their emotions ebb and flow hourly, sometimes minute by minute. In my current stage, I have a unique view on life. My children are changing in front of my eyes at such a rapid pace; mentally, emotionally, physically and cognitively growing. The...

Deuteronomy 26:16-19     Matthew 5:43-48 When I was 19 years old, a good friend of mine committed suicide. He was an outgoing, light-hearted young man, quick with a joke and loved by many. He had suffered some depression while trying to find his path after high school. I loved him like a cousin and grieved his death alongside our whole community. Part of that grieving process included wrestling with what it means to act in accordance with God’s will. If you act outside of God’s will, can you ever get back inline with it? Or does that fork in the road take you irretrievably away from God’s will?  I never came to any definitive conclusions, and I continued to ponder these questions for many years (decades) more. In fact, I still think about these questions, and, though my thoughts on the matter have evolved, I’m not so confident to believe that I have answered these questions. But I believe God’s will for us isn’t to act in a certain manner, rather to be, or...

  Ezekiel 18:12-28     Matthew 5:20-26 Reflecting on these readings, I think about the concepts of reconciliation and community. In the reading from Ezekiel we are reminded that God's forgiveness is always available to us. In the reading from Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples "unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees you will not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." I take this to mean we must go beyond merely "following the rules." We are called to see God in the people around us and serve others as a means of serving God. Jesus goes on to say we must reconcile our differences with our brothers and sisters before we can experience the full presence of God. I am reminded of something said by the pastor of my former parish. He said, "the Church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." I believe we are called to nurture and care for one another on our faith journeys. We don't do this alone. Our community is...

1 Peter5:1-4     Matthew 16:13-19 Today the Church celebrates the Feast of the Chair of St. Peter. The Feast celebrates the contributions of St. Peter to the Christian Church and his efforts to build a strong community around Jesus’ teachings. In today’s gospel, Jesus asks his disciples who people say the Son of Man is. Peter responds “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus then tells Peter that he is the rock on which he will build his Church. There are events in the gospels that indicate that Peter wasn’t the best choice to be the first leader of the Church. Denying Jesus three times is probably the most familiar of Peter’s misgivings. But Jesus saw something in Peter that others did not see and maybe even he did not see in himself. In the first reading, the leaders of the Church were instructed to not lord over the community assigned to them, to lead by example, and not to lead for shameful profit. What does it mean to be a leader? Many bo...

Jonah 3:1-10     Luke 11:29-32 Like Jonah, God is calling each of us every day to help accomplish his Will in the world. When we do good and when we fail to do good, he loves us the same. He is anxiously waiting for us to take his hand and feel his grace in our lives. In scripture he uses our love for our children as an example for how he loves us. As a mom of two little boys who mean more to me than anything in the world, nothing resonates with me quite like that. My love for them is so strong and my desire to protect them so intense. If I would do anything for my children to feel peace, love and protection, how much more does God want that for us and how much more will he fight for that for us? Every Lent I tell myself “this Lent is going to be different.” I am going to spend more time in prayer with the Lord, give distractions up and do better. And almost every Lent, I fall short. I disappoint myself and feel like I let God down. As I get older, the pressure n...

  Isaiah 55:10-11     Matthew 6:7-15 When I was young, my Noni (aka Grandmother) used to say: “We all have our crosses to bear.”   At points in our lives the burdens are heavier than others, but we all experience and endure them. As I contemplated the readings for today, the initial message to me was the Lord is here for us, encouraging us to lean on and trust in him to share and alleviate our earthly burdens. “I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears…Look to him that you may be radiant with joy…The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.” Last year a wise fellow parishioner encouraged me to partake in the Surrender Novena, which I did. It includes a response of “O Jesus, I surrender myself to You, take care of everything!” Was the outcome perfect? No, like many things in our journeys, I was unable at times to shed issues as I should. However, I can honestly say it had a positive ...

  Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18     Matthew 25:31-46 In today’s readings the theme that resonated is the teachings of the “Golden Rule.” God teaches us to do unto others as we would want to be treated. Like probably many of you, this teaching is undoubtedly my earliest learning of God’s expectations and what it means to be Catholic. It was rooted in my belief system from a very early age and one that has carried through my entire life. However, this simple rule which can be taught to a 5-year-old is easier said than done, isn’t it? I have numerous moments of passing judgment on others and not always stepping up to help those in need. And in today’s world it is often hard to see this rule in action. Nevertheless, even with all this there are still signs this rule is alive and well around us. Since becoming a Visitation parishioner last year, I’ve witnessed countless examples of this teaching thriving in our community. From assisting a refugee family and supportin...

  Genesis 9:8-15     1 Peter 3:18-22     Mark 1:12-15 In Mark’s gospel, he talks about how Jesus was cast into “the desert for 40 days and tempted by Satan. He was “among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.” The readings speaking of Jesus in the desert are always impressive to me. In the desert for 40 days without food and water?! While I hope I don’t have to live in the desert for 40 days to find my closeness with God, I do often feel like we are all living in our own desert at times. My desert comes after working long days as a pediatrician where I am trying to give my all to my patients. I come home after a 10 hour day, exhausted, trying to make dinner, and my three kids are running around the house taunting each other. I think of myself being in the desert, tempted by Satan, and how I should act towards these three beautiful children. Should I yell at them? Chase them around the house screaming? Or do I take a deep breath and...

Isaiah 58:9b-14     Luke 5:27-32 This reading from Isaiah is a great reminder for all of us as we begin the Lenten journey. Isaiah gives us two relatively simple (but very important) directives and explains that if we adhere to these directives, we will benefit greatly. First, Isaiah asks us to step back from our own self-interest and put God first in our lives. Again, this seems like a fairly simple idea but I know that it is hard to do sometimes. We become preoccupied with everything that is going on around us and we focus more on our own problems and those that may have slighted us. But, if we can get past these things and put God first, our reward will be great. As Isaiah said, we will be “like a spring whose water never fails.” Isaiah’s second instruction is also pretty simple but something we often overlook: keeping the Sabbath day holy. We are often being pulled in multiple directions on the weekends with kids’ sports and other functions and it becomes...

  Isaiah 58:1-9a      Matthew 9:14-15 Today’s gospel reminded me of a short video that struck me many years ago. The clip focused on a particular fourth grade girl in her classroom waiting for a special guest to be introduced. She has no idea that it is her own father who has come home to surprise her after being deployed in Iraq for the past year. As he enters the classroom, her face completely disassembles in a wave of surprise and pure emotion. The longing, the missed time and the powerful love between them is beyond words and the sacrifice of the previous year is instantly washed away. Jesus, in anticipating his own absence to come, also emphasizes the time he and his friends have left together as precious and finite. He knows how hard their paths will be. Today’s readings ask us to expand our understanding of fasting. Separation from loved ones, common acts of kindness and selflessness, attending to the people around us in the moment are all seen as f...

  Deuteronomy 30:15-20     Luke 9:22-25 Every Christmas Day – after the presents are open, breakfast is served, the boys are busy with their gifts– we settle in and watch It’s a Wonderful Life . It’s a tradition I cherish, while readying myself for a cathartic cry and all the feel-good Christmas sentiments this movie lends. I’ve watched this movie several times over the years, and every single time I do, I catch something new, something I’ve never seen before and the great significance it adds. This year was no different, when I noticed a framed quote that was hung underneath the portrait of Pa Bailey, prominently displayed on the office wall of the Building and Loan. In this scene, Geroge Bailey decides to stay at the “old building and loan” at the board’s request after his father passes. For a few seconds this portrait, and more pointedly the framed quote underneath, was zoomed in on, and stated “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.” ...

  Joe1 2:12-18     2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2     Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 “When you fast,” says Jesus in today’s Gospel, do not make a show of it, do not “appear to be fasting.” Jesus instructs this in a passage about “righteous deeds” that also include prayer and almsgiving. Don’t be demonstrative about those either. Among these deeds, fasting is the practice that comes first to mind as Lent begins. Religious fasting (restricting what we consume) and abstinence (foregoing something altogether) are common practices across history and around the world. I have, for example, known and admired observant Muslims who fast during the month of Ramadan, refraining from all food and drink between sunrise and sundown. Such discipline!    The surprise for me in today’s Gospel is Jesus’s teaching to be quiet about our fasting. Thinking about it, how would anyone know that we are fasting? Well, in my lifelong Catholic experience, we tell one anoth...